Mavs take advantage of Grizzlies' drought

April 27, 2006

DALLAS (AP) -- If the Memphis Grizzlies keep playing like this, they'll never win a playoff game. The Grizzlies went 16 straight possessions without a point and 10:47 between baskets over the middle two quarters, taking them out of what had been a close game and sending the Dallas Mavericks to a 94-79 victory Wednesday night and a 2-0 lead in their first-round series. Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points to drop Memphis to 0-10 in its postseason history; that's four more losses than any NBA team has ever had before its first victory. The Grizzlies will head home for Game 3 Saturday halfway to being swept for the third straight year. Memphis actually started great, getting Pau Gasol rolling early and not making a turnover the entire first quarter. The Grizzlies led by four early in the second quarter, until Nowitzki scored every point in a 9-0 run that put the Mavericks ahead for good.